EANS-Adhoc: USU Software AG announces provisional figures for fiscal 2009: USU
outperforms previous year´s sales and earnings
Increase in Group liquidity and
equity ratio
Management Board proposes dividend of EUR 0.15 per share /
Further improvement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
annual report/Provisional figures for fiscal 2009
25.02.2010
Möglingen, February 25, 2010 - In fiscal 2009, USU Software AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU28) fully attained the targets announced by the company despite the global recession. Whilst the overall software and IT services market showed significant declines in market volume both in Germany and throughout Europe, according to its provisional figures, the company increased its Group-wide sales slightly by 0.2% year-on-year to EUR 34.05 million (2008: EUR 33.98 million). The company enjoyed tangible success in its international business, which improved by 24.4% year-on-year to EUR 2.85 million in 2009 (2008: EUR 2.29 million).
At EUR 2.55 million (2008: EUR 2.29 million), EBITDA was up 15.8% on the comparative figure for the previous year. As expected, USU Software AG thus generated an increase in operating earnings well in excess of sales growth despite stepping up its sales abroad and with partners as part of its internationalization strategy and making targeted investments in the ongoing development of Group products. The main reason for this was the successful development of higher-margin product business, combined with stable cost development throughout the Group.
According to provisional calculations, the company increased its net profit for the year by 19.5% to EUR 1.55 million (2008: EUR 1.29 million). Accordingly, USU Software AG's earnings per share improved to EUR 0.15 in 2009 (2008: EUR 0.13). On the basis of its provisional figures, the Management Board of USU Software AG is planning, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to propose a dividend per entitled share, as in the previous year, of EUR 0.15 (2008: EUR 0.15) to the ordinary Annual General Meeting of the Company on July 15, 2010, and thereby to allow the company´s shareholders to share in the Company's success as previously announced.
As a result of the positive business developments, the USU Group significantly increased its cash flow from operating activities year-on-year to EUR 4.04 million (2008: EUR 1.81 million). Accordingly, the Group liquidity of USU in the form of cash and cash equivalents and securities rose to EUR 10.89 million as at the end of fiscal 2009 (2008: EUR 9.54 million). With this liquidity situation, an improved equity ratio at 85.7% (2008: 84.8%) and no liabilities to banks, USU Software AG´s financing situation is still extremely solid, enabling targeted investments and potential company acquisitions now and in the future.
For the current fiscal year, assuming a sustained economic recovery, the Management Board of USU Software AG expects sales growth for the Group as a whole to exceed the average rates of the German and European IT markets. The increase in EBITDA is again likely to outstrip sales growth. At the same time, the company will invest specifically in further increasing the internationalism of the USU Group and in key product innovations in order to increase sales and earnings further in the medium to long term. On the basis of this forecast, the Board of Management plans to continue its pro-shareholder dividend policy of recent years in 2010 and in future.
The Management Board of USU Software AG will publish the final audited financial figures for fiscal 2009 on March 25, 2010.
end of announcement euro adhoc --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further inquiry note:
USU Software AG
Investor Relations
Falk Sorge
Tel.: +49 (0) 71 41 - 48 67 351
Fax: +49 (0) 71 41 - 48 67 108
E-Mail: f.sorge@usu-software.de
Branche: Software
ISIN: DE000A0BVU28
WKN: A0BVU2
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
Hannover / free trade
München / free trade
Stuttgart / regulated dealing
Original-Content von: USU Software AG, übermittelt durch news aktuell